Todd Hartley Explains Brock Bowers' Absence From the Team Ahead of Orange Bowl

Georgia Tight End Coach Todd Hartley addressed Brock Bowers' absence from Miami ahead of Georgia's Orange Bowl matchup with Florida State.

When the Georgia Football team arrived in Miami on Tuesday, three-time All American tight end Brock Bowers was conspicuously absent. On Wednesday, Georgia Tight Ends Coach Todd Hartley spoke with the media during Georgia's media availability ahead of the Orange Bowl and shed light on his star tight ends' absence from the team.

When asked about the reason behind Bowers' absence from Miami, Hartley made it clear that it was related to the nagging ankle injury that the junior tight end suffered against Vanderbilt on Oct. 14.

"Yeah it's the injury, man. If he's healthy enough to play then he'll play and if he doesn't then we will see what happens after that, but still waiting to see at this point."

Georgia Tight End Brock Bowers is helped off the field in Nashville, Tennessee after suffering a high ankle sprain in Georgia's game against Vanderbilt on Oct. 15. Bowers is still battling the ankle injury as Georgia prepares to play Florida State in the Orange Bowl

With Bowers' ankle injury still lingering three days ahead of Georgia's game against Florida State in the Orange Bowl, his status for the game is certainly dubious, but Hartley explained that the Napa, California native is working tirelessly behind the scenes to give himself a chance to play on Saturday. 

"We don't know. His status is still unsure," Hartley said. "He's still battling that ankle injury that's been nagging him it seems like forever now, but he's been great in his rehab. I hope he makes it, I don't know if he will, it's still something that we're up in the air on, waiting to see, but he's been great in his support of his teammates throughout the prep, ever since the Alabama game, so we'll see what happens."

Even if the ankle injury keeps Bowers off of the field in the Orange Bowl, Hartley expects the All-American to be in Miami on Saturday to support his teammates as they attempt to end the 2023 season on a positive note. 

"I think he's just focused on getting that ankle 100% and if he gets 100% then he's going to try to do everything he can to help us, but if he doesn't then he will be there supporting his teammates," Hartley said. "The good thing about right now we still have a couple of days until we play, so I know he's battling hard, so we'll see what happens."

Perhaps in anticipation of the criticism that may directed towards Bowers if he does, indeed, end up not playing in the Orange Bowl, Hartley reiterated Bowers' competitive nature and the lengths he has already gone to in order to contribute to Georgia's success during the 2023 season. 

"After Vanderbilt he could have gone somewhere. He didn't have to come back. I think the people that are around us a lot know what type of person Brock is and what type of competitor Brock is. I think it just shows how much he loves his teammates, how much he loves his coaching staff, and how much he loves Georgia. You all have asked me a lot of questions about Brock before and just how much of a competitor he is. He loves to compete. He is the ultimate competitor, so the fact that he came back in three weeks, it was unbelievable that he came back from that surgery and played at a really high level against Ole Miss just shows how much he wanted to keep playing, again, for his teammates, his coaches, and his university.

While Bowers may face an uphill battle in his attempt to prepare himself to play in the Orange Bowl, it is clear that he is, once again, making every effort to do so.